Simmons: State gun laws keep the nation safe

Published 6:22 pm, Wednesday, September 10, 2014

Before deciding to seek elective office here in Stamford, I had the privilege of working for several years at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the federal agency created in response to the horrific 9/11 attacks. As we reflect on that tragedy, we must remember that combatting terrorism and mass casualty attacks continues to depend in large part on vigilant communities and close collaboration between federal, state, and local law enforcement.

Since 9/11, we have made significant progress in making our country safer, and much of that progress is due to the hard work and dedication of our local law enforcement and first responders. They are the frontlines of defense and act as force multipliers for national counterterrorism efforts. We are fortunate in Stamford and across Connecticut to have such devoted and talented police, firefighters, and first responders. If elected, I will fight hard to ensure they are equipped with the tools they need to keep our communities safe.

One way to keep our communities safe is to prevent criminals and terrorists from acquiring deadly weapons. In Connecticut, we have made considerable improvements in this area due to the bipartisan gun law that was passed last year. So often we talk about gun laws in a local sense, but on a day like today, we must be mindful of the broader context. State gun laws are part of a national fabric of strong, common-sense laws to keep our country safe -- they are interconnected, and serve multiple purposes.

Two aspects of Connecticut's gun law are fundamental to our national security fabric. First, universal background checks. Terrorists have long been encouraged to take advantage of weak gun laws in the United States. In 2011, al-Qaida released a video urging terrorists to purchase firearms at gun shows to avoid being subject to a background check. Fortunately, because of the 2013 Connecticut gun law and previous measures taken by our legislature to close background check loopholes, our state now mandates the use of universal background checks at gun shows and any other sale or transfer of firearms across the state. According to data from the Bureau of Justice Statistics, background checks such as these have helped block more than 2 million gun purchases by criminals nationwide. While these checks are not foolproof, they make it increasingly more difficult for criminals, domestic abusers, and terrorists to purchase guns.

A second component of the Connecticut gun law that is important to our safety is the ban on assault weapons and high capacity magazines. According to the 2014 NYC Citizens Crime Commission report, since 1984, there have been 33 mass casualty shootings involving a perpetrator armed with a high capacity magazine and those shooters killed or injured 161 percent more people than those who did not use high capacity magazines. Assault weapons are also being increasingly used against police officers, which is why so many law enforcement associations and police chiefs across the country have endorsed the assault weapons ban.

These are common sense measures that will better the security of our state and our country. If elected, I would be honored to have the chance to continue this work and would do everything I can to keep our communities safe.

Caroline Simmons, a Democrat, is a candidate for State Representative in the 144th District in Stamford, and was formerly the Director of Special Projects in the Counterterrorism Coordinator's Office at the Department of Homeland Security.